Get the Show on the Road!Who's that Pokemon? LanturnArriving in Hoenn's Littleroot Town, Ash heads to Professor Birch's Lab to get Pikachu healed, but the Pok?mon runs off. May also arrives in Littleroot and helps the Professor when he gets attacked by some wild Poochyena searching for Pikachu. Team Rocket's new Mecha attacks, absorbing all of Pikachu's built up electricity. With Pikachu's health restored, it destroys Team Rocket and May's bike. May, who wants to travel, and her new Torchic, then join up with Ash instead.

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A Ruin with a ViewWho's that Pokemon? CrobatFailing her first Pok?mon capture, May takes Torchic to her first Pok?mon Center, meeting her first Joy. Ash and May also meet Professor Alden, who is investigating the secrets of the Oldale Ruins. That night, Team Magma attack the Center and kidnap Alden, searching for important info hidden within the Ruins. The Magmas open the ruins, but abandon operations when they don't find what they came for. The duo then see ancient Relicanth when sunlight opens a hidden passage.

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There's No Place Like HoennWho's that Pokemon? CleffaThe two arrive in Petalburg City, and Ash meets Max, May's annoying little brother, posing as the Gym Leader. May reveals she's the daughter of Caroline and Leader Norman, whose Vigoroth's power defeats Pikachu in an unofficial battle. Team Rocket accidently steal Torchic and trap everyone in pitfalls, but. Ash saves his friends and Pikachu and Vigoroth defeat the Rockets easily. Norman then gives Badge Cases to the duo and a Pok?Nav to Max, who joins Ash and May.

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You Never Can TaillowWho's that Pokemon? MisdreavusStuck in Petalburg Woods without lunch, a wild Taillow eats the group's last bit of food and soon the kids are attacked by a whole pack of Taillow. Brock rejoins the group, using Forretress' Explosion to stop the Taillow. Brock starts on lunch while the leader Taillow, influenced by Team Rocket, persistently fights Pikachu. Brock warns that catching Taillow is the only way to stop, causing Ash's first Hoenn capture. After crushing the Rockets, the group then enjoy lunch.

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In the Knicker of Time!Who's that Pokemon? YanmaAsh starts the day by winning his first Hoenn trainer battle, and the group soon meet the odd Nicolai the Knickerbocker inside his Zigzagoon costume. Nicolai challenges May to her first battle and wins with Mudkip. After Nicolai uses his Zigzagoon costume to save Max from a pack of Zigzagoon, the odd trainer then captures one for himself. When Team Rocket steal Mudkip, Nicolai uses his various costumes to stop them. Taillow and Zigzagoon then participate in their first battle.

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A Poached Ego!Who's that Pokemon? LarvitarLearning about Hoenn's Joys and Jennies, the group help Jenny search for a Poacher, Rico. Team Rocket find Rico's stolen Ekans and Koffing but get blown away by Pupitar's Sandstorm. After a Cacnea saves them from Beedrills, the Team catch up to Rico, but Pupitar evolves into Tyranitar! Jesse, James and Meowth fight Tyranitar alone to let Arbok, Weezing, Ekans and Koffing escape into the wild. Jenny soon arrests Rico, while Cacnea joins James after receiving some treats.

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Tree's a Crowd!Who's that Pokemon? Girafarig (has a "tale that bites")Ash finds a group of Treecko and follows them to their home in the woods, hoping to capture one. The particular Treecko Ash wants refuses to leave its dying childhood tree and runs off. Ash waits at the tree until Treecko returns, and helps the Pok?mon try to keep its home alive. Team Rocket capture Pikachu and all but one Treecko, but the last Treecko manages to save them. When Treecko sees the dead tree left a seedling in its place, he battles Ash, who makes his next capture.

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A Tail With a TwistWho's that Pokemon? GligarDuring a lunch break, Ash is worried about Treecko's loner tendencies and how it doesn't like the other Pok?mon.When a wild Seviper attacks Torchic, Treecko helps defeat the snake but becomes injured. While Treecko recovers and begin training its tail attacks, Team Rocket follow Seviper and Jesse manages to capture it. However, when Team Rocket use Seviper in battle, Treecko, who realizes that it has friends behind it, defeats Team Rocket with its improved attacks.

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Taming of the ShroomishWho's that Pokemon? SnubbullNow in Rinshin Town, the kids split up to get supplies and bite to eat. May drags Brock to the supposedly haunted Green Lodge and a wild Shroomish leads Ash and Max to the same building. The heroes meet Alex, who used to live inside with his Shroomish, and they realize that the Pok?mon have been forced to live in the Mansion because of construction. After the Shroomish beat Team Rocket with Stun Spores, Alex decides to tear the Mansion down to grow a new forest for them.

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You Said a Mouthful!Who's that Pokemon? Unown PAsh challenges trainer Anthony and his Pelipper, the "World's Strongers Pok?mon," to a battle, but Ash's Pok?mon are defeated by strange attacks like Vine Whip and Thunder. While trying to steal the gull, Team Rocket discover Pelipper is hiding Pok?mon in its mouth to use different attacks, so they con Anthony into letting them use Pelipper to steal Pok?mon. In battle with Pikachu, Pelipper's secret is exposed, so it turns on the Rockets and Anthony agrees to play fair.

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A Bite to RememberWho's that Pokemon? HitmontopEntering a Pok?mon Preserve, the group is attacked by some Mightyena and a single Poochyena that belong to Ranger Katrina. After being lectured on evolution from Brock and seeing that Poochyena hasn't evolved yet, Max becomes determined to evolve the Pok?mon by teaching it Bite attack to win battles. When Team Rocket net some Pok?mon along with Poochyena, the hound's new technique comes in handy, helping it defeat the Rockets and evolve to Max's surprise.

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The Lotad LowdownWho's that Pokemon? MagbyAfter stopping for a swim, the heroes find the Pretty Petal Flower Shop and meet sisters Nicole, Rita and Natalie, who forms a crush on Brock. As a group of Lotad assist the girls in water plants, Brock helps a slower Lotad with his work and two become friends. Brock, Ash and Nicole then head into the woods to find Natalie, who went to find Brock berries. After Brock saves Natalie from a Beedrill, he is joined by his Lotad friend after it helps Pikachu save the Lotad from Team Rocket.

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All Things Bright and Beautifly!When the group finally reaches Rustboro City, they meet Chaz and Julia, two Pok?mon trainers planning to enter Rustboro's next big Pok?mon Contest with their Beautifly and Venomoth. May takes a particular liking to Pok?mon Contests as Ash trains with Pikachu, trying to learn Iron Tail, in preparation to face Roxanne. When Jesse's Seviper does horrible in the contest, Team Rocket steal Beautifly and Venomoth but are stopped by Torchic and May, who is dreaming of her own Beautifly.

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All in a Day's Wurmple

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Gonna Rule the School!

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Winner By a NosepassAsh and the gang finally head to Rustboro Gym where Ash challenges Roxanne and May reveals she'd prefer going after Contest Ribbons to Gym Badges. Roxanne opens with Geodude and Ash with Treeck. Despite a type advantage, Treecko doesn't know any Grass types and loses. It's up to Pikachu to take on two Rock types itself; managing to charge up enough power to zap out Geodude and Iron Tail down Nosepass, Pikachu narrowly wins Ash a Stone Badge.

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Stairway to Devon

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On a Wingull and a Prayer!

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Sharpedo Attack!

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Brave the WaveAsh is anxious to get his second Hoenn Badge and at the beach, Ash meets Brawly, but becomes annoyed by Brawly's tendency to surf instead of train. Later, Ash takes on Brawly. Brawly's Machop easily takes down Taillow while Treecko takes out Machop. Next, Brawly's Makuhita evolves into Hariyama and lays waste to Treecko due to Brawly's effective training; from surfing and awareness. Accepting defeat, Ash decides to hang around the Islands to train for a rematch.

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Which Wurmple's Which?

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A Hole Lotta Trouble

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Gone Corphishin'

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A Corphish Out of Water

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A Mudkip MissionWho's that Pokemon? PelipperThe team climb up a waterfall to find a group of Mudkip. Brock saves a baby Mudkip from being washed away in a stream, and the heroes meet Mr. Swampy, who raises baby Mudkip for new trainers. Team Rocket destroy Swampy's dam and Brock, and an older, loner Mudkip team up to save the babies. The loner Mudkip is washed away trying to save the last baby, and Brock dives in to save it. Team Rocket are then defeated by Lotad and Mudkip, who agrees to join Brock.

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Turning Over a Nuzleaf

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A Three Team Scheme!

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Seeing is Believing!

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Ready, Willing and Sableye

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A Meditite Fight!

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Just One of the Geysers

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Abandon Ship!Who's that Pokemon? SilcoonThe heroes take a ferry to Slateport, but it turns out to be a Team Rocket trap. After beating the Rockets, the boat drifts to the Forsaken Ship, where the kids meet Tommy, looking for his lost Marshtomp. Look around, Max, May and Team Rocket get abducted by a Swampert. Tommy realizes Swampert, now angry at humans, evolved from his Marshtomp. Tommy convinces Swampert that he didn't abandon it, and the two reunitre to defeat Team Rocket and ferry Ash to Slateport.

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Now <i>That's</i> Flower Power!Who's that Pokemon? DragoniteAs May practices for her first Contest, she meets her new rival, the arrogant Drew. After May loses a fake Contest Battle against Ash, she meets Mr. Big, who tells her she must remain calm in battle, and gives her a Pok?block Case. When Torchic eats the berries Mr. Big uses to color fireworks, the heroes head off to find more. Following Big?s advice, May wins her first Contest battle against Drew?s Roselia. Saving the berries from Team Rocket, the firework show goes off successfully.

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Having a Wailord of a TimeWho's that Pokemon? LotadMay leaves to train Beautifly, causing Max to feel Torchic is neglected, but Ash explains a trainer's first Pok?mon is special. Nurse Joy asks the boys to watch some Pok?mon for a new trainer while she treats a Wailord. Torchic evolves into Combusken after fighting through the group's starters and Corphish. Ash and Max try to hide Combusken, but it defeats Team Rocket and becomes Joy's helper. With Steph and her father taking the other starters, Max wants his own Pok?mon.